davidmcowan

Just got home from a night out with my friends. I commute regularly to and from work and anywhere within about 10 miles from home. I met one friend out and caught up with him for awhile and then at the end of the night I biked over to another bar to meet an old friend of the female persuasion and some of her buddies. We had a great night, and they are all aware of my "position" when it comes to riding. At the end of the night we are leaving the bar and I start to unlock my bike and I get a laugh out of all three of them followed by them asking if I want a ride. I tell them no thanks and carry on with my short ride home. My problem? I'm not really worried about their sexual opinion as I am otherwise invested but it bothers me greatly that these people that are suppose to understand me for who I am are laughing. My angry side on my ride home thinks that these are the same women who complain about their large asses (ummmm...get on a bike!) and have to work two jobs to pay their expenses (expensive cars and expensive insurance) but the sane side wants to find a reasonable way to respond. Drunk rant? perhaps. But I KNOW that someone out there feels my pain....please advise.

peregrine

I do feel your pain, David. Even my own family often gives me grief because of commuting and running errands on my bike in all kinds of weather. It often makes me feel absolutely dorky ... ... which I probably am. I can explain to my family and my closest friends what cycling means to me and they do try to understand, but with people that are just my aquaintances, I don't even bother. They'd just think I'm an even bigger dork. Just know that there are people out there that would appreciate the time you spend on your bike and would think it cool.

I guess if people laughed at me like that, I'd just give them a blank look and ask "What do you think is so funny?" but I wouldn't act all upset and offended. If they don't get me and make no effort to, they probably wouldn't, no matter what I say.

xheathx

Whatever makes you happy, it saves gas, and you lose some weight. Sounds better than a lot of thinks I can think of....

squeakywheel

I stop at the bar after work more when I bike commute than when I don't. Its the fear of DUI that keeps me out of the bar when I have my 2 ton steel horse.

Next time someone laughs at you unlocking your bike outside a bar, just say "it beats needing to call a cab." Then glance at the car keys in their hands.

Mad Scientist

There is a small bar near my place of business where my coworkers and I occasionally gather. Last fall we gathered there after work one day. I had a couple of beers in a short period of time and hopped on my bike to get home. That was my fastest ride home yet! My average speed was 1.5 mph faster than my next best commute.

So, here's to riding with a buzz!

TRaffic Jammer

When I run errands on my bike I come to an stunned family. "You're back already?"
Wife is completely behind my biking 1000% and encourages it. It's good for me on so many levels and she sees that. Co-workers are amazed at daily ride in all year. No static at all....guess I'm lucky.

Word to the slight buzz riding home it is always quicker with a little lube.

davidmcowan

My girlfriend is completely behind the biking and coworkers have a similar respect for my daily rides. It was the girls at the bar I wanted to strangle, why are they so snobbish about cars?

CBBaron

My family all thinks I'm crazy and my coworkers either think I'm crazy or am impressed by my dedication. I just laugh with all of them. Biking is something I enjoy and poor weather is only a challenge so I don't really care what they think. Biking doesn't save me money because I still own a car and I spend a decent amount on my bikes. I suppose it improves my health but I'm not really concerned about it and biking hasn't helped me lose weight. I just bike because I enjoy it.
Craig

Az B

Madison Avenue has completely brainwashed nearly everyone that the key to thier personality lies in thier car. And cars are a huge status symbol for most as well.

Following that logic (or lack of) your social class is determined by your car. Mercedes? Awesome! Dodge? Ok. Kia? At least you're trying, maybe someday you'll have that Lexus.

Bicycle? Please allow us to give you a ride. It's our way of helping out the needy and down and out.

Hey, at least you're not walking! Those buggers are really bad off.

Az

dster545

In the UK, at least, it's an offence to ride a bicycle while under the influence.....not sure if we should be condoning such practices - particularly if you were to cause an accident.

James55Thompson

David, do you think you are reading too much into this? Remember the situation, drinks, fun, and a good time. Seems to me the Ladies just carried it on outside, at your expense. If you feel secure in what you are doing, then don't get mad and don't get even. Every now and then, we have to learn to laugh at ourselves. This seems to have been one of those times.

ajay677

Read this:

https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-safety/170631-sd-bill-remove-bicycles-definition-vehicle.html

Discussion about exempting bikes and horses from definition of vehicle so you can ride drunk.

cerewa

Make an agreement with them: if they won't laugh at you for exercising in public streets, you won't make fun of their fat rear-ends.

oboeguy

https://www.bikeforums.net/living-car-free/148957-car-culture-makes-me-want-hurl.html

ken cummings

The ladies may have been feeling the pain of going home to someone who does not have the tight butt of a cyclist. The wife and I do a lot of ball-room dancing and the ladies I dance with appreciate the strength and control cycling has given me.

squeakywheel

Where I live, driving a car while intoxicated is a very high risk activity with severe penalties.
Well I don't know if riding a bike while intoxicated is legal or not. If it is illegal, I don't think it is enforced unless you are being obnoxious or wreckless. So for me, anyway, the bike is a pretty low risk way to get home from the bar. The alternative is to not go, take a cab, or bum a ride from a friend.

Note, I'm not talking about can't stand up drunk. I don't do that. No fun. Riding home with a buzz provides an insightfull view of the world and your place in it. It is a very introspective time.

TRaffic Jammer

and with the exception of dire accidents *knocks on wood* the worse that usually happens is someone scratches their own car or removes the side mirror coming up the driveway.

jyossarian

I went to a small reunion of my frat bros. last night. I locked up my bike outside, went in helmet in hand and caught up w/ all the old faces. They asked the usual questions like, "Where'd you ride from?" and "What bridge did you take?" and made the usual comments like, "No way I could do that" and "I'd be lucky to make it down the block". These are a bunch of successful family men, many of whom are trading their hair for a paunch and none of them made a snide or negative comment. In fact, their comments about it were positive like, "Keep it up" and "You're looking good". I guess I'm lucky that way. Even my female friends provide positive comments about riding.

recursive

I used to get people offering me rides. Now, people who know me know enough to know I don't want a ride. If they started laughing though, I would definitely feel at least a little miffed. Sometimes I feel like laughing at people who drive a car to go < .5 miles, but it happens so often, it stopped being funny.

Az B

I live in a quiet neighborhood with dead end streets and sidewalks, and I've seen folks get in thier cars to go visit a neighbor 3 doors down.

It's not funny. Considering the recent indictment by our own president that we're addicted to oil, it's not funny at all.

Az

marqueemoon

I wouldn't put it quite that way, but I basically agree. Cycling to a bar falls outside of the prevailing concept of cool. Sadly, some people can't see beyond that. Their loss.

TRaffic Jammer

Cycling to a bar falls outside of the prevailing concept of cool.

Unless you going to a messenger bar then it's totally cool to see 100 bikes locked up outside.

LittleBigMan

You know how they say that if you're insane, you think you're normal, and everyone else is insane?

I must be insane, because that's what I think. I think my riding my bike is the sane, normal thing to do, and everyone else who'se driving is insane. I just bought a brand-new bike for the same amount of money I saved on gas by not driving last year.

The more I ride, the more insane I get, too. It just seems like cycling gets more and more normal and sensible, and people driving everywhere gets crazier looking every day that goes by!

TRaffic Jammer

Weird how that happens isn't it?

Redrom

Maybe the ladies want to give you a ride somewhere so that you could give them a ride